Campus Sustainability Fund

With over 80,000 students, faculty, and staff on campus, it’s difficult to comprehend the sheer number of packages, textbooks, course packets and dorm mail UW Mailing Services delivers on a daily basis. Thankfully, those deliveries are now a lot more efficient and environmentally friendly.

The latest episode of the "In Our Nature" podcast features Campus Sustainability Fund (CSF) coordinator Kyle McDermott. The CSF provides grants to student-driven sustainability projects at UW, and has granted more than $2.2 million to over 100 projects since it started in 2010.

On this podcast episode, Kyle talks about some of the projects around campus that were funded by the CSF, how students can make their own idea a reality by using CSF grants, and other ways for students to get involved.

The new Life Sciences Building under construction next to the Burke Gilman Trail features floor-to-ceiling windows all along the south side. The windows allow the sun to naturally light the space, but that sunlight also presents a problem.

In the summer, direct sunlight would overheat the building. Instead of relying on air conditioning, the team behind the building’s design found a unique solution.

As we all fall into our usual routines for Winter quarter, jazz up your schedule and check out the sustainability events calendar! We've listed a few of the top options for this week below, and you can always check out our calendar for a comprehensive listing of events. You can even subscribe to get weekly emails to keep up to date on all the sustainability events happening around UW!

Three math professors who always wanted to try building a game but never had the time. A graphic designer thinking about taking a digital game design program next year. A graduate student in statistics who is passionate about sustainable river management. These are just a few of the stories of the people who participated in the UW Sustainability Game Jam on Nov. 11-12. Their mission: to design a game that engaged a wider community on a topic or concept related to sustainability – all in one weekend.

If you're interested in games and the environment, sign up for the Sustainability Game Jam this weekend. Inviduals and teams will work Nov. 11-12 to create game concepts and prototypes that promote sustainability.

The Campus Sustainability Fund (CSF) is a student-funded, student-run grant organization for student-driven sustainability projects on campus. Along with a student committee, the CSF has a trio of student employees who help the fund and its projects run smoothly. There are two new faces on the CSF staff this year - along with returning CSF coordinator Kyle McDermott, the CSF welcomes new Outreach Coordinator Whisper St Christopher and its first Project Development Intern, Ian Rose.

In 2009, a small group of students started a grassroots campaign to create a student-powered green fund at the University of Washington. The idea quickly gained wide support, and today the Campus Sustainability Fund (CSF) has granted more than $2 million to student-created sustainability projects, giving UW students a chance to shape the future of campus.

SafeFlame is a local cleantech start-up founded by Foster School MBA student Kevin Cussen which aims to tackle a glut of high profile issues effecting people in developing nations. SafeFlame utilizes biodigesters to break down organic content and create biogas, which can be used as fuel for gas cookstoves. The company hopes to use its technology to help cut indoor pollutants caused by cookstoves that use fuels such as wood, charcoal, crop waste or animal dung.